Vaccinations & medicated feed- do they cancel each other out?

[Egg-O-Matic]

I ordered a bunch of chicks from Murray McMurray hatchery and had them vaccinated for Marek's and Cocci. I also hatched a handful of chicks at home and they are all the same age- but there are no vaccinations available to me locally to inoculate my own chicks.

At this point the 2 groups are separated but I expected to have them together. I was told the vaccinated chicks are now dangerous to the others because now Cocci is in their poop and contagious to the others. How long is the Cocci active and when can I intigrate the 2 groups of chicks?

I was also told feeding the vaccinated chicks medicated feed will cancel out everything and make them vulnerable! Anyone have some facts about this??? This is becoming more complicated than I expected! Thanks for your input!

 

[SunHwaKwon]

The medicated feed will kill off the cocci that the chicks were vaccinated with. It won't affect the Marek's vaccine.

Yes, the cocci vaccinated chicks are harboring and shedding cocci, but theoretically if the chicks are on medicated feed it shouldn't matter.

As a note, even cocci vaccinated chicks can get coccidiosis. It's like getting the flu shot - it doesn't cover all strains. The only time I've had chicks get sick and die from it were vaccinated chicks being brooded indoors. Usually I do not vaccinate, and I brood outdoors and they are in the dirt at a couple days old. So, keep a careful eye on them and be ready to treat with Corid if need be.

 

[Egg-O-Matic]

Thank you so much! Last year my adult flock contracted Cocci even though they had med feed. So I know it's in the soil here, which is why I opted to get the vaccine. But had no idea I was complicating things by hatching my own at the same time.

They are all being brooded inside right now. I'll plan some outside journey's to help get them acclimated to the soil.

What are the first signs of Cocci to look for? Lethargic chicks not eating/drinking?

When do you think it's safe to put the 2 groups of chicks together? They are all getting med feed at this time, and are only 2 days old.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Okay, so you are opting to cancel out the vaccination? That is what I would do, personally.

Treating an outbreak requires Corid for 3-5 days, so maybe that is how long it would take to cancel out the vaccination...though medicated feed is a much lower dose so perhaps it would take longer. I'm really not sure. Hopefully someone will chime in.

Maybe you can put them together right away since theoretically the medicated feed will "protect" the non-vaccinated chicks, but I don't want to suggest that and have it be the wrong course of action.

 

[Kiki]

Medicated feed will not cure cocci and it will not prevent it.

 

[TinyBirds]

Hmm, i would switch to flock raiser crumbles (unmedicated). The medication can give them vitamin deficiency and sounds like they had a rough post office trip so could be stressed by that already. Keep water clean and shavings dry if you use shavings. Raising them on wire floor where droppings go through is easier (like gqf brooder). We have had no cases of cocci since switching to gqf brooders. Once they're outside they should go in a chicken tractor to move every day to fresh ground.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I have not had issues with cocci (except with vaccinated chicks) and I raise mine on the ground from the start, with exposure to the dirt and the other chickens within the first week. I do not feed medicated feed, either; I try to get them eating the fermented feed I give everyone else as soon as possible, with regular crumble always available as well. Kikisgirl is right that medicated feed does not prevent cocci, ie it does not keep them from being exposed, but it can help keep an infection from getting out of hand while they build immunity. Unless the load is really high where you are raising the chicks, I don't think it (or the vaccination) is necessary, though.